- Understand the role of tin in historical and modern pigments.
- Identify the spectral characteristics of tin, including K and L lines.
- Pure tin sample for baseline analysis.
- From Pigments Checker STANDARD: lead tin yellow, cobalt cerulean blue, and yellow lake Reseda.
- NOF (No Filter) setup for spectral enhancement.
- Introduction to Tin in Pigments: Discuss the historical use of tin in pigments, including lead tin yellow and cobalt cerulean blue, and its role in lake pigment production.
- Pigment Spectral Analysis: Examine the spectra of lead tin yellow and cobalt cerulean blue, focusing on tin’s K and L lines and other elemental peaks (lead and cobalt).
- Unexpected Tin Detection: Analyze yellow lake Reseda pigment, observe weak tin signals, and discuss the role of tin salts as mordants in lake pigment production.
- Enhanced Detection with NOF Setup: Demonstrate the use of the NOF setup to enhance weak L alpha signals of tin in yellow lake Reseda.
To reinforce the concepts discussed here, we also provide a video lesson that visually walks through the key points of this topic. Watching the video alongside the text can help you better understand and apply these ideas in practice.
The course XRF Spectroscopy for Art Examination introduces conservators, art historians, and scientists with interest in Art to the principles and practical applications of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy in the examination of artworks. The course starts with basic principles of XRF and gradually explores its role in identifying materials and methods used in the creation and conservation of art.
Course Objectives
- Understand the fundamentals of XRF spectroscopy and how it applies to the analysis of art.
- Learn the key features and limitations of XRF for examining art and archaeology.
- Gain skills in interpreting XRF spectra to identify specific elements in paint layers, inks and metals.
Scientific Art Examination – Resources:
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) – USA
The British Museum – Scientific Research Department – UK
Scientific Research Department – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France) – France
Rijksmuseum – Science Department – Netherlands
